Seat facing machine



1944- E. H. DELAHAN ErAI. ,3 I I SEAT FACING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Original Filed Feb. 15, 1941;

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iAug- 1944- E. H. DELAHAN ErAL 2,356,226

SEAT FACING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 15, v1941 4 SheetsSheet 2 I I lI l l I l I II III E. H. DELAHAN ErAL SEAT FACING MACHINE Original FiledFeb. 15, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 SEAT FACING MACHINE Original Filed Feb.15, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4' Qmmk mwwq B b" NW R In E9 ||||||1| mm Nn m w#Fm km. 73 .y IIIIIIII .I 7 p6 Q mm \W\ mm, NW w .Q\ mm Q Q Q H PatentedAug. 22, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEAT FACING MACHINE Edward H.Delahan and Albin G. Frojd, Rockford, Ill., assignors to Borg-WarnerCorporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois 7 Claims Thisinvention relates to the manufacture of bearing cups for universaljoints of the type wherein a bearing cup is secured against radialescape under centrifugal force, in a cylindrical socket of a yokemember, by an annular securing element engaging against a seat formed asone side of an annular channel in the exterior of the cylindrical wallof the cup. The general object of the invention is to provide animproved apparatus for facing the securing element seat.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an apparatusadapted to face a securing element seat to a very close tolerance in thespacin between the seat and inner surface of the end wall of the bearingcup. Under present requirements of motor vehicle manufactures, thistolerance must be maintained at or under .0005 inch. This requirementhas caused very serious difliculties in the manufacture of universaljoint bearing cups, and the present invention greatly improves uponprior methods of maintaining this tolerance, being adapted particularlyto use in connection with a method wherein the facing operation isperformed after the interior bearing surfaces of the cup have beenhardened, thereby eliminating the distorting effect of the hardeningstep. In accordance with the method to which the invention isappurtenant, the outer portion of the wall of the cup is kept in anunhardened state, and the machine of the present invention accomplishesthe facing operation by shaving instead of by grinding.

These and other objects and features of this invention will becomeapparent from the following specification when taken together with theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a seat facing machine embodyin theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken on the line 22 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 4 is'a detailed sectional view of the chuck assembly;

Fig. 5 is an end View of the chuck, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a diagram of the cam movement of the machine.

The bearing cup operated upon by the machine of the present invention isindicated generally by the reference character 8, being shown in sideelevation in Fig. 3 and in axial section in Fig. 4. The bearing cup 8embodies a cylindrical wall IE! and an end wall II. In the cylindricalwall In is an annular channel I2 in which a snap ring,

for securing the bearing cup in a supporting yoke is adapted to seat.The snap ring'bears against the side of the channel l2 which isindicated at l3 in Fig. 3, and it is this side that is to be accuratelyfaced.

In a machine constructed in accordance with our invention, there isprovided a chucking unit, shown in Fig. 4, which comprises generally ashaft l5, journalled in bearings 16 and I! on a base IS, the forwardhalf of the shaft being in the form of a sleeve IS.

The forward end of the sleeve 19, projecting beyond the bearing I1, isthreaded at 20 to support a chuck 2| which is threaded thereon. Thechuck 2| is formed with three jaws 22, the forward extremities 23 ofwhich are shaped to fit the interior of a bearing cup. 'Interiorly, thejaws 22 are formed with conical surfaces 24 adapted to coact with theconical nose 25 of a chuck operating rod 26 which is telescoped in thesleeve IS.

The forward end of the chuck operating rod 26 is provided with a bore 21in which is received an ejector plunger 28 having a head 29 adapted toengage the end wall H of' a bearing cup, and constantly urged inprojecting direction by a spring 30 interposed between the end of theplunger and the end of the bore '21.

Means is provided for intermittently spreading the jaws 22 into clampingengagement with a bearing cup 8 while the cup is being pressed againstthe end of the chuck with sufficient force to repel the plunger'28 toits retracted position shown in Fig. 4, and for subsequently allowingthe jaws 22 to contract, whereupon the plunger 28 will eject the bearingcup from the ends of the chuck as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4.This means comprises a pair of bell crank levers 3! each pivoted at 32between the jaws 33 of a bracket 34 adjustably threaded in a cuppedelement 35 threaded on the sleeve 19. Each lever 3| includes an arm 36projecting into an opening 3'! through the shaft 15 and engaging the endof the chuck operating rod 26 and an arm 38 extending axially andprovided with a roller 39. The rollers 39 are arranged to cooperate withan axially shiftable camming sleeve 40 having a frusto-conical camsurface 4 I, adapted, when advanced toward the levers 3|, to move thearms 38 inwardly, whereupon the arms 36 will move the chuck operatingrod 26 forwardly and spread the jaws of the chuck. The cam member 40 isprovided with a collar 42 slidably mounted on the shaft and coactingwith the forked end 43 of a shift lever 44 pivoted at 45 on the base l8.

On the end of the shaft I5 is mounted a drive pulley 46 through whichthe shaft I5 is driven from a suitable source of power.

Suitably journalled in bearings 41 and 48 which may form part of thebase I8, is a cam shaft 49, one end of which carries a gear 59 throughwhich rotation may be imparted to the shaft 49. On the cam shaft 49 is acam 5I having a cam groove 52 cooperating with a pin 53 on the end ofthe lever 44 to intermittently rock the lever 44 first in on directionand then in the opposite direction.

Bearing cups are presented to the chuck from a hopper 55 by anoscillating loader 54, segmental i in shape, having an arcuate periphery56 adapted to support the column of bearing cups in the hopper 55 whilethe loader is oscillating. At the forward extremity of the supportingsurface 56, the loader 54 is formed with a semi-circular seat 51 intowhich a bearing cup drops when the loader has reached its fullyretracted position. The loader oscillates about a pivotal connection 58between its lower end and a bracket 62 on the base I8. Movement isimparted to the loader by a lever 59 having a pin 60 engaging in a slot6| in the lower end of the loader. The arm 59 is mounted on a shaft 63journalled in the bracket 62. On the other end of the shaft 63 is fixedan arm 64 projecting downwardly and having at its lower end a roller 65which is engaged by a, cam 66 on the cam shaft 49.

The hopper 55 is mounted on an arm 61 projecting upwardly from thebracket 62, in a position to register with the seat 51 of the loader 54when the latter is in its retracted position. This retracted position isdetermined and may be adjusted by a set screw 68 threaded through thearm 61. A spring I06 yieldingly urges the loader toward its retractedposition.

The loader 54 may be provided with a resilient finger 69 for yieldinglyurging a. bearing cup against the seat 51 and securely holding it in theseat during the loading operation. The finger 69 is adapted to be movedaway from the seat 51 (so as to permit a bearing cup to drop into theseat 5! from'th'e hopper) by a, pin I0 slidably mounted in a bore in theloader 54. This is accomplished by the engagement of the pin 10 againstthe arm 61 as the loader 54 approaches its receiving position.'

The loader 54 is adapted to carry a cup to a position in axial alignmentwith the chuck. The cup will then be positioned with its mouth closelyadjacent the end of the chuck, since the plane of the forward side ofthe loader 54 is disposed quite close to the end of the chuck.' Whilethe loader is maintained in this position, the cup is moved onto thechuck by a pusher 1I (Fig. 1).

The pusher II has a shaft I2 slidably mounted in a'bearing bracket 13carried by the base I8 and provided with rack teeth I4 intermeshing witha pinion by means of which the pusher is reciprocated back and forth intimed relationship to the movement of the loader 54. The pinion 15 ismounted on a shaft 16 journalled in the bracket 13. On one end of theshaft 16 is mounted a second pinion 11 (Fig; 3) which meshes with a gearsector 78 on the upper end of a lever 19. The'lever I9 is fulcrumed at60 on the base I8 and has at its lower end a pin 8| which cooperateswith a cam 82' on the cam shaft 49, the cam 82 acting to retract thepusher against the resistance of a spring I05 acting against the lever19 so as to yieldingly urge the pusher toward the chuck 1.

The cutting tool- I4 is mounted in a tool holder 83 which is slidablymounted in a slideway 84 in a carriage 85 for adjustment parallel to thechuck axis. Bolts 86, extending through slots 81 in the carriage 85,secure the tool holder 83 firmly against the carriage 85. The toolholder is adapted to be adjusted in the way 84 by means of an adjustingscrew 88 extended through a bracket 89 on the carriage 85 and threadedinto the tool holder 83. The bolts 86 may be loosened to permit suchadjustment.

The carriage 85 is mounted on a sub-carriage 90, and is adapted to beadjusted, in a direction transverse to the chuck axis, by an adjustingscrew 9| extending through a bracket 92 on the sub-carriage and threadedinto the carriage 85.

The tool holder carriage is adapted to be reciprocated in timedrelationship to the movement of the parts previously described, by agear segment 93 meshing with a rack 94 on the bottom of the sub-carriage90 and pivoted for oscillating movement on a shaft 95 journalled in abracket 96 on the base I8. The sub-carriage 90 is slidably mounted onways 91 formed in the top of the bracket 96. Oscillating movement isimparted to the gear segment 93 by a cam 98 on the shaft 49, actingagainst a roller 99 on one end of a push rod I00 which is slidablymounted in bearings IOI and I02 in the base I8 and bracket 96respectively, and at its other end engages a set screw I03 in an arm I04mounted on the shaft 95.

The timing of the various parts of the machine is shown in Fig. 6. Inthe operation of the machine, beginning with the position shown in fulllines in Fig. 2, (such position being indicated at A in Fig. 6) the cam66 will move the lever arm 64 to the left as viewed in Fig. 2,oscillating the loader 54 to its dotted line position shown at b,thereby bringing the bearing cup which it carries to a position inalignment with the chuck. The corresponding position on the cam diagramis indicated at B, the operation performed between the points A and Bbeing designated as the Load operation.

The next operation, which is'designated Pushin, is effected by cammovement between the points B and C. In this operation the cam 82permits the lever I9 to oscillate counterclockwise under the pull of thespring I05, advancing the pusher II and moving the bearing cup supportedby the now stationary loader 54, onto the chuck.

The next operation, designated Clamp is effected by cam movement betweenthe points C and D. In this operation, the cam 5| acts upon the lever 44to shift the camming sleeve 40 to the right as viewed in Fig. 1,advancing the chuck operating rod 26 to spread the chuck jaws intoclamping engagement with the bearing cup being held thereagainst by thepusher II.

The next operation, which is designated Release pusher, is effected bycam movement between the points D and E. In this operation the cam 82acts upon the lever 19 to oscillate it in a clockwise direction againstthe pull of the spring I05, withdrawing the pusher- 1|. During thisoperation, the loader 54 continues to remain stationary, as a result ofthe riding of the roller 65 on the high dwell portion of the cam66.

The next operation, designated Return loader, is eifected by cammovement between the positions E and F. In this operation, the roller 65rides down from the high portion of the cam 66, and the loader 54 andlever 64 are returned to their full line position shown in Fig. 2, bythe spring I06.

The next operation, designated "Feed .approach is effected by cammovement between the points F and G. In this operation, the push rod Iis moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 2, by the fast rising portion )1'of the cam 98, advancing the tool M to a point where it is ready tocommence the facing operation.

The next operation, designated Feed, is effected by cam movement betweenthe points G and H. In this operation, the roller BQtr'avels on theslowly rising cam face [98 of the cam 98, slowly advancing the tool 14against thcseat l3.

During all of the operations efiected'be'tween the points D and the cam51 maintains the chuck jaws in clamping engagement with the bearing cap.At the same time, the bearing cap is being rotated and as the tool I4advances against the shoulder l3, the latter will be shaved to thedesired dimension.

The next operation, designated Release feed, is effected by cam movementbetween the points H and I. In this operation, the roller 99 drops offthe high region ms of the cam 98 permitting the tool carriage to returnto its starting position under the pull of a spring use indicated indotted lines in Fig. 2. During this operation, the bearing remainsclamped on the chuck.

The final operation designated Unclamp? oc curs between the points I andA of cam movement. In this operation, the cam 5| retracts the chuckoperating rod '25 and the chuck jaws by their inherent resiliency springinwardly to release the bearing cups. The ejector plunger 28 then snapsthe bearing off the end of the chuck, permitting it to drop through asuitable discharge chute into a receptacle.

Our improved method makes it possible to face the seat 13 by a shavingoperation. since the exterior of the cup remains unhardened while theinterior surface, which cooperates with bearing rollers, is properlyhardened for that purpose. the cups may be finished rapidly and at thesame time, extreme accuracy may be maintained. To attempt to grind theseat would be much slower. and would be particularly dimcult in View ofthe narrowness of the groove.

The invention provides for rapidly adjusting the tool without stoppingthe operation of the machine.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 379,048, filedFebruray 15, 1941.

We claim:

1. A machine for performing a finishing operation on the exterior of acup having a previously finished inner end wall surface, comprising achuck having a plurality of resilient, radially expandable jaw elementsthe outer terminals of which are adapted to locate against saidpreviously finished inner end wall surface. an operating rod within saidjaw elements of the chuck arranged to have camming engagement with saidjaw elements to spread the same into clamping engagement with theinterior of the cup, a spring-pressed ejector plunger carried in anaxial opening in said operating rod, adapted to engage said innersurface and yieldingly urge the cup away from the chuck, means forpushing the cup onto the end of the chuck against the resistance of saidejector plunger while the chuck jaws are in normal contracted position,and for yieldingly holding the cup in locating engagement with the endof the chuck, means By utilizing the shaving operation,

ation on the exterior of a universal joint bearing cup having apreviously finished inner end wall surface, comprising a chuck adaptedto locate against said end surface and having jaws receivable in thecup, a hopper for supporting a column of the cups, a loader adapted toreceive a cup from the hopper and transfer it laterally to a positioncoaxial with the chuck, an axially movable pusher adapted tosubsequently advance against the outside closed end wall of said cupwhile held by said loader, to push the cup from said loader onto thechuck and to subsequently hold the cup in locating engagement with theend of the chuck, means for spreading the chuck jaws into engagementwith the interior of the cup while thus held by said pusher, means forsubsequently retracting said pusher, means for subsequently returningsaid loader to a position to receive another cup from the hopper. meansfor rotating the chuck while the bearing is clamped thereon, means foradvancing a tool into engagement with the exterior surface of the chuckwhile thus being rotated, said chuck spreading means being adapted, whenthe-operation of said tool on the cup is completed, to permit the chuckjaws to contract so as to release the cup. and yieldable ejector meanswithin the chuck acting against said end wall thereof to eject the cupwhen released by the chuck.

3. Chucking mechanism for a cup-shaped work piece adapted to have aturning operation performed thereon. comprising a hollow turningspindle, means in which said spindle is j ournalled for rotation, achuck on the end. of said spindle comprising a plurality of jaws, meansfor spreading said jaws comprising a push-rod axially slidable in saidhollow spindle and having at its end a cammed portion adapted to engagethe jaws, and spread them into engagement with the interior of thecup-shaped work piece, said pushrod having a bore, an ejector rodslidable in said bore, adapted to engage the end wall of-the work piecefor ejecting the work piece when released by said chuck jaws, and a coilspring between the end of said ejector rod and the inner end of saidbore, adapted to be compressed when the work piece is forced onto thechuck.

4. In a machine of the class described, a turning spindle, a chuck onsaid spindle, adapted to receive and automatically clamp a work piece,feeding mechanism for periodically positioning work pieces in axialalignment with said chuck, and means for pushing each work piece axiallyfrom said positioning mechanism onto said chuck, said means comprising apush-rod for engaging the outside closed end of successive cups, abearing in which said rod is mounted for axial movement, rack teeth insaid rod, a gear meshing with said rack teeth, a second gear connectedto said first mentioned gear to rotate therewith, a gear sector meshingwith said second gear, and means for intermittently oscillating saidgear sector.

5. In a machine of the class'described, a hollow turning spindle, meanson which said spindle is journalled for rotation, a chuck on the end ofsaid spindle having a plurality of jaws adapted to be spread intoengagement with the interior of an annular closed end cup work piece,means for spreading said jaws comprising a rod axially movable with saidspindle, a magazine, transfer mechanism for moving a cup work piece fromsaid magazine to a position with the open end thereof aligned with saidspindle, a push-rod for engaging the outside closed end surface of saidwork piece and pushing the same from said transfer mechanism onto thechuck, means in which said push-rod is mounted for axial movement inalignment with the axis of said spindle, and means for reciprocatingsaid chuck spreading rod and said push-rod and for actuating saidtransfer mechanism in timed relationship to each other, said last meanscomprising a cam shaft parallel to the axis of said spindle andpush-rod, a series of cams on said shaft, and means for transferringmovement from said cams to said chuck spreading rod, said first rod andsaid trans fer mechanism.

6. In a machine of the class described, a turning spindle, a chuckcarried thereby, a magazine for holding work pieces to be turned,disposed on a vertical axis located at one side of the axis of saidspindle, an oscillatory transfer member beneath said magazine, adaptedto transfer a work piece from the lower end of said magazine to apositioned aligned with said spindle, a cam shaft, a cam thereon,mechanism for transferring movement from said cam to said transfermember, a second cam on said cam shaft, a push link receiving movementfrom said second cam and extending laterally beneath the axis of saidspindle, a tool carriage reciprocable above said push link, a toolcarried by said carriage and adapted to be moved into and out ofengagement with a work piece mounted on said chuck, a rack on saidcarriage, and a gear segment meshing with said rack and receivingmovement from said push link, said transfer member and tool carriagebeing arranged to move alternately toward the spindle axis.

'7. In a machine of the class described, means defining a power rotatedspindle and chuck assembly including resilient radially expandablegripping fingers effective to receive a cup-shaped work piece thereaboutwith the inner closed end surface of said cup in contact with the outerterminals of said fingers for accurately locating said cup axially onsaid chuck, said assembly further including axially reciprocable cammeans effective to expand said fingers into gripping engagement with theinterior of said cup, a coll compression spring actuated ejector plungerembracingly carried Within said gripping fingers and engageable by saidclosed end surface of said cup for loading said spring in response tothe introduction of said cup about said fingers, said ejector plungerbeing effective uponothe release of said gripping fingers to eject saidcup from about said fingers; means defining an upwardly extendingmagazine for holding a plurality of cups in series relation and adischarge opening in radially spaced relation to the axis of said chuckfingers, said magazine being effective to discharge one cup at a timewith the open end of said cup facing in a direction parallel with theaxis of said chuck fingers; means defining a transfer assembly effectiveto receive successive cups from said discharge opening and transport thesame to a position in axial alignment with but spaced from said chuckfingers, said means comprising an oscillatable member having a seatthereon for the reception of one of said cups, spring means cooperatingwith said seat and cup effective to retain said cup on said seat duringthe transfer operation, said oscillatable transfer member being furtherprovided with'an arcuate surface effective to pass across said dischargeopening during said transfer and functioning as a closure therefor,means responsive to the movement of said seat into receiving positionwith reference to said magazine effective to move said spring holdingmeansinto cup disengaging position and responsive to transfer movementeffective to move said spring into cup engaging position; means defininga power operated pusher plunger assembly, effective to engage theoutside closed end surface of said cup and push the same along said seatas a guide and into embraced relation about said chuck fingers with theterminals thereof in contact with the inner closed end surface of saidcup; means defining a tool carriage assembly including a cutting tooladapted to be moved into and out of cutting engagement with the outerwall of said cup in accurate axial relation to said chuck fingerterminals and said cup inner end wall; and means effective to operatesaid transfer means, said plunger means and said tool carriage insequence including cams and follower assemblies associated therewith.

EDWARD H. DELAHAN. ALBIN G. FROJD.

